Mechanical directory, &amp;c.



No. 697,376. Patented Apr 8, mm. a. w. MAXWELL.

MECHANICAL nmzcmnv, &c. (Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Shets-Sheet l.

(Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

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(No Model.)

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G. W. MAXWELL.

a MECHANICAL DIRECTORY, 8L0.

(Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

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(No Model.)

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No. 697,376. Patented Apr. 8, I902. G. W. MAXWELL.

MECHANICAL DIRECTORY, 8w.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OrFrcE.

- GEORGE W. MAXWELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MECHANICAL DIRECTORY, 84,0.

SIECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,37 6, dated April 8, 1902. Application filed November 20, I899. $erial No. 737,688. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/r I Be it known that I, GEORGE IV.l\/IAXWELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Los I Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Directories and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a mechanical directory which will be superior is practicable with this directory at nominal expense to insert in alphabetical order and from time to time as often as required during the year new names and changes of address; Furthermore, the changes are so arranged that they are brought to the attention of the. user before he consults the main directory or;

uncorrected list of names;

This inventionis applicable for ready reference to any long lists'of names arranged alphabetically or in series which can be conveniently indexed.

This dir ectorycomprises a'directory strip. for alphabetically-arranged lists of individual names, an index device with letters of the alphabetarranged thereon to correspond with.

I said lists and at distances apart less than and proportionate with the spaces occupied by the directory-lists under the corresponding letters of the alphabet, respectively, automatic reversible means for simultaneously operating the directOry strip and index device continuously throughout the full extents of their lists at speeds proportionate with theirrespective spacings and in one and the other directionalternately; By this means it is possible to arrange-for the winding and unwinding of the main directory-strip at a'ver'y high speed, the eye of the operator being upon the index device, which is arranged to move at' a low speed, so that when the operator finds upon the index device the character indicating the its case. 'tory-strip are broken to expose the ribbon rollers and guides; Fig. III is an'elevation of the right-hand end ofthe directory mechparticular list he desires to consult he will operate'the directory-strip more slowly in order to'distinguish the characters thereon, and

by the reversible device he will then operate the directory-strip in one or the other direction, as the case may be, until he will bring the required information into view. By pref erence, the index device is in the form of a supplemental directory-strip corresponding to the main directory-strip, but'being much shorter and having its index characters and the supplemental names relatively spaced to correspond with the main directory-strip on a shorter scale.

The invention includes novel reversing mechanism by means of which the rollers smoothness and accuracy of operation.

The invention is'applicable for greater or less extension to accommodate a greater or less number of names with one or more indexes and to afford a greater or. less number ofkinds or arrangements of information.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. I

Figure I shows the invention as applied in a directory having a single main director strip and a single supplemental directory and indexf'strip. Fig..II is a View of the operative mechanism of the same removed from Portions of the frame and direcanism, the crank and the end of the case being removed to expose the directory frame and mechanism. The case is shown sectioned through the sight-openin gs substantially midway between its ends, and the end piece of the mechanism-holding frame is broken in or der to expose the ribbons or directory-strips. Fig. IV'is a plan of the portions of the directory mechanism which are shown inFig. III. Fig. V is an enlarged detail plan showing the reversing-lever, which carries the drivingwheels, sectioned on line indicated by V V, Fig. III. Fig. VI is a sectional elevation on line indicated by VI VI, Figs. III and V. Fig. VII is a perspective view of an extension of the invention by which three supplement and index strips are operated simultaneously with a main directory-strip. Fig. VIII is an elevation of the right-hand end of the oper ative parts of the directory shown in Fig. VII. Fig. IX is a View of the left-hand end of the frame and mechanism of the same. Fig. X is a fragmental plan showing the operative connections between the different rollers of the same.

In Fig. I, 1 indicates the directory-case,having sight-openings 2, 3, and 4, through which the desired information is to be seen. These openings are preferably closed with glass. In Fig. III it will be seen that the opposite sides of the directory-strip or ribbon 10 are exposed through the sight-openings 2 and 3, respectively. The frame of the machine is preferably made of two end pieces 5 6, held together by suitable means, such as the rods 7. The ribbon rollers or guides, hereinafter particularly pointed out, are preferably pivoted in the end pieces 5 6.

9 indicates a door at the back of the case to allow the frame 5 6 to be inserted into and withdrawn from the case.

10 indicates the main directorystrip, having alphabetically-arranged lists 11 of individual names thereon, as partially indicated in Figs. I, II, and VII.

12 in Figs. I and II indicates the index device, comprising a supplemental directorystrip, with letters of the alphabet 13 arranged thereon to correspond with said lists 11 and at distances apart less than and proportionate to the spaces occupied by the directorylists ll'under the corresponding letters of the alphabet, respectively.

let and 15 in Figs.II, III,and IV indicate the main directory-strip rollers, mounted parallel with each other and to which the main directory-strip 10 is fastened at the ends to wind and unwind from roller to roller.

The directory-strips are preferably made of strong thin paper and are detachably fastened at their ends directly to the rollers, respectively, or to cloth reinforcements, (not shown,) which maybe fastened to the rollers.

16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 indicate ribbonguiding rods or rollers arranged in a way heretofore known for guiding the directorystrip or ribbon between the main rollers 14 and 15 to bring opposite faces of the ribbon into View under the sight-openings 2 and 3, respectively, as clearly shown in Fig. III.

22 23 indicate wheels for the main ribbonrollers 14: 15, respectively. The wheels 22 and 23 are fixed to shafts 2i and 25, respectively, of the ribbon-rollers 14 and 15. 26 27 indicate wheels for driving said roller-wheels 22 and 23, respectively. 28 indicates a lever carrying said driving-wheels 26 27 and pivoted on a crank-shaft 29 to simultaneously hold one of the driving-wheels in operative engagement with its roller-wheel and the other driving-wheel out of engagement with its roller-wheel, and vice versa, the wheels being adjusted so that one driving-wheel escapes from its roller-wheel just before the other driving-wheel engages its roller-wheel, so that when the lever is at the intermediate position the roller-wheels 22 and 23 are both free. This allows the wheels to be engaged with and disengaged from each other freely when the wheels are in the form of cogwheels, as shown in Fig. III, which is the preferred form, for the reason that by the use of cog-wheels the operation of the strip is positive, whereas with friction-wheels there is a tendency to slip, which is wholly done away with by the use of cog-wheels.

30 indicates a master-wheel journaled to revolve and to operate said driving-wheels 26 27 and being frictionally connected with the lever 28 to throw the lever in the direction of the rotation of the master-wheel. The simplest and preferred form of construction is illustrated in Figs. III, IV, V, and VI, in which the lever and master-wheel are both mounted on the crank-shaft 29, which is to be operated by the hand-crank 31. The master-wheel 30 is fixed to the crank-shaft 29, and the lever 28 is mounted sufficiently friction-tight upon said crank-shaft to turn with the crank-shaft unless positivelyheld by some obstruction, so that when the driving-wheel 26, for instance, is in engagement with the rollerwvheel 22 and the master-wheel is being rotated in the direction of the unfeathered arrow shown thereon in Fig. III the masterwheel will rotate the driving-wheel 26, which in turn will rotate the roller-wheel 22, thereby driving the roller 14: in the direction of the unfeathered arrow, and the friction between the shaft 29 and the lever 28 will hold the lever 28 to hold the driving-wheel 26 in engagement with the ro1ler-wheel22 so long as the master-wheel is being rotated to drive the roller 1 1. The driving-wheel 27 in the meantime runs free from the roller-wheel 23, allowing the ribbon or directory-strip 10 to u nwind freely from the roller 15. Upon a reverse movement of the crank 31, thus rotating the master-wheel 30 in the direction indicated by the feathered arrow in Fig. III, the friction between the shaft 28 and the lever 29 will throw the lever in the direction of the feathered arrow, thus bringing the driving-wheel 27 into engagement with the rollerwheel 23 to rotate the roller 15 in the direction of the feathered arrow, thus to wind the ribbon onto the roller 15, while the roller 14 is left free to rotate to allow the ribbon to unwind from roller 14.

In the preferred form the friction between the master-wheel 30 and the reversing-lever 28 is maintained by a spring. Such spring may be variously arranged. In the drawings the lever is formed of two spring-bars a b, journaled on the crank-shaft 29 and engaging opposite sides of the hub c of the masterwheel and shaft, and arbors cl 6 extend across between the ends of the spring-bars to hold the driving-wheels 26 and 27 in operative engagement with the master-wheel. The bars are sprung over the hub cof the master-wheel and are fastened by rivets (not shown) or by screws, as indicated at g in the drawings, to hold the spring-bars in suitable frictional engagement with the hub c.

The screw-heads hform stops on the lever 28 for engaging with the frame at U, respectively, to hold the driving-wheels from meshing too deeply into thejroller-Wheels. V

32 33 indicate a set of rollers to which the ends of the supplement or index strip 12 are fastened to wind from roller to roller.

34 35 indicate small sprocket-wheels, re-

spectively, on the rollers 1415 of the main ate both ribbons 10 and 12 positively in op-" posite directions alternately.

The directory-strips or ribbons are preferably made of paper for cheapness, and in practice the cheapest and thinnest book-paper is successfully used, because the paper is not subjectto handling, but is protected by'the case. The strip can be printed in any num ber of columns desired,and the directory-case is provided with a stationary index plate or space 40, upon which are marked letters, as

Ato F,- G to M, N to Z, to indicate the contents of the list-columns, respectively.

In the list-column 1 marked A to F will be printed all of the names'included by these letters, and likewise with the list-columns marked G to M and N to Z, respectively.

In practice the main directory-strip 10 will bemade to contain all of the names which appear in the directory at the time it is coinpiled, and when the directory is first published the index-strip 12 will be marked with the letters arranged at'interv'als in the col:

umns-to correspond with the columns of they main directory-strip on a shorter scale. Then after a suitable interval of time-say in two.

' months, more or less-a new set ofindex or supplement strips 12 will be printed, the

spaces between the indexing-letters 13 re-.

maining thesame and the changes of address and the names 41 to be added to the direc tory will be printed on the supplement in the spaces between the index-letters 13 in alpha betical order and approximately spaced to appear at the sight-openings simultaneously with like names 42 in the main directory. The supplement-strips may thus be revised and changed from time to time as found desirable, the frame being removed from the case for this purpose and the old supplement or index strip removed from its rollers and the new being substituted.

Whenone wishes to consult the directory,he

Will grasp the crank 31 with the right hand,and

v noting the column in which the required name the index-supplement, he will" then lookat the main directory-strip, and if the name is not in view he will rotate the crank slowly in'one or the other direction asmaybe necessary to bring to View the portion of the list in which the name should appear. By this means the directory can beoperated at sucha high speed as to allow the practical use of directory-strips of'very great length, containing'the names of the residents in a'city of the largest population5'and the required name can be found with the greatest facility, and the person consulting the directory can turn from'name to namewith the greatest ease and with'the smallest loss of time.

In'small cities of a population, for instance, of one hundred thousand it will be found usually desirable to print two classes of information upon the main directory-strip one class upon one side of the strip and "another class upon the other side of the strip.

For example, on, the side of the strip'which is" exhibitedthrough the sight-openings 3'the individualnames would be arranged alphabetically, while on the side of the stripto be exhibited through sight-opening 2 the same names-may be arranged alphabetically under alphabetically-classified heads 131'to indicate the occupations of the individuals. IniFigs; I to IV, inclusive, only one index device and supplement is shown, but in Figs. VII, VIII, IX, and X provision is made for a plurality of index devices and supplements.

Inthese views the parts which correspond to' like parts in Fig. III are indicated by like characters, 32'and 33indicate the rollers for the index or supplement strip 12'. In addition to this supplement-strip there are pro- Vided'two other supplement-strips 120' and 121. 43 44 indicate the rollers for the'directory-strip 120, and 45 46 indicate the rollers for the strip 121'. "4.7, is, 49, 50, and 51 indicate guide rods orrollers for holding the strips 12, 120, and 121 in appropriate position beforethe sight-openings 4, is, and 52. In

this form. tho'supplemental, strips may be used for any desired purpose. In large cities the strip 12 will preferably be used as an index to the first half of the main alphabetical directory, as from A to K, and the names for this half of the directory will be printed on one side of the directory-strip. The strip 120 willbe used as an index and supplement for the second half of the main directory, which will be printed on the other side of the main strip 12 and will be exposed through the sight-opening 2. The strip 121 may be used for information of a still different character-such, for instance, as a classified business-directory.

In Fig. VII the strip 121 is shown as applied for an indexed classified business-direc tory.

m indicates the case designed for the directory, having a plurality of indexes or supplements. This case is stepped and sloped to provide faces at different angles for the sightopenings 7c, 52, 2, 3, and 4. The supplementrollers 32, 33, 43, 14, 45, and 46 are respectively provided with large sprocket-wheels 36, 3'7, 53, 5 1-, 55, and 56. In this form the roller-shaft 24 of the roller 14 is provided with three small sprocket-wheels 31, and the roller-shaft 25 of the roller 15 is provided with three small sprocket-wheels 35. The large sprocket-wheel 37 is connected with a small sprocket-wheel 35 by the sprocket-chain 39, the same as in the single form, and one of the small sprocket-wheels 3% is connected with the large sprocket wheel 36 by the sprocket-chain 38 the same as in the single form. 57 indicates a sprocket-chain connecting another of the small sprocket-wheels 35 with the large sprocket wheel 54, and a sprocket-chain 58 connects another of the small sprocket wheels 31 with the large sprocket-wheel 53. A sprocket-chain 59 connects another of the small sprocket-wheels 35 with the large sprocket-wheel 55, and a sprocket-chain 60 connects the small sprocketwheel 34 with the large sprocket-wheel 56. By arranging the sprocket chains and wheels in this manner thesupplements will all be driven at the slow speed while the main directorystrip is being driven at the high speed. Furthermore, the index-strip 12 which pertains to the list shown through sight-opening 3 will move in the same direction as said list and also in the direction of rotation of the crank, while the index-strip 120 audits list, seen through sight-openings I; and 2, will move in the same direction with each other and opposite to the rotation of the crank. The strip 121 will move in the same direction as the crank. The crank 31 extends through a hole 61 in the case and is detachable from its shaft 29, and the shaft is wholly inside the case, so that by removing the screw 62 and removing the crank from the shaft the directory-frame can be readily withdrawn from and inserted into the case. The door will be appropriately fastened shut by a lock or any other suitable means. (Not shown.) Vhen the door is shut, it preferably engages the frame to hold it firmly in position. The crank is provided with a gain 77. to fit into a notch 11 in the end of the master-whecl shaft 29 to hold the crank rigid on the shaft. The crankshaft 29 is journaled at the inner end in the end piece 6 of the frame and at the outer end in a bar g, which is attached to the framepieee 6 by posts 1' and screws 5.

tindicates flanges on the ends of the ribhon-rollers.

Referring to Figs. I and II, the bimonthly supplement of changes shows that J. Iba and L. llkl have changed their addresses, J. Iba having moved from 4 Clay street to 19 Day street and L. Ilk having moved from 7 Bay street to 5 Sun street. Ilks name is not in view on the main list 11 in Fig. I, being hidden by an opaque barn of the case.

In Fig. VII the name and correct address of J. Able appears in the bimonthlysupplement of changes from A to K. I-Iis former address is visible in the list 11 and in the classified directory. The name of S. Long appears in the supplement of changes from L to Z; but his name in the list 11 is not yet in view.

It is to be noted that the mechanism is practically automatic-that is to say, the movements of the machine are not under the control of the operator excepting that he can rotate the prime mover--that is to say, the crank-in either direction he desires. The automatic-shifting power-transmitting mechanism, consisting of the master-Wheel, the lever, the driving-wheels, and the roller-wheels, with which said driving-wheels mesh, are interposed between said prime mover and the sprocket-chains, which cause the simultaneous rotation of the rollers, and the reversal of the prime mover causes the appropriate operation of the strip automatically and free from any interference and without any other action upon the part of the operator exceptin g the reversal of the crank.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A directory comprising a directory-strip having alphabetically-arranged lists of individual names; an index device with letters of the alphabet arranged thereon to correspond with said lists and at distances apart less than and proportionate to the spaces occupied by the directory-lists under the corresponding letters of the alphabet, respectively; and automatic reversible means for simultaneously operating said directory-strip and said index device continuously throughout the full extents of their lists at speeds proportionate with their respective spacings in one and the other direction, alternately.

2. A directory comprising a main directorystrip having alphabetically-arranged lists of individual names; an index-strip with letters of the alphabet arranged thereon to correspond with said lists and at distances apart less than and proportionate to the spaces 00- on pied by the directory-lists under the correspondingletters of the alphabet, respectively; and automatic reversible means for simultaneously operating the directory-stri p and the index-strip continuously throughout the full extents of their lists at speeds proportionate with their respective spacings, and in one and the other direction, alternately.

3. A directory comprising a directory-strip having alphabetically-arranged lists of individual names; a supplemental directory-strip having a less number of individual names than the main strip, the same being alphabetically arranged and relatively spaced to correspond with the main strip on a shorter scale; and automatic reversible means for simultaneously operating the'said strips continuously throughout the full extents of their lists in either direction at speeds proportionate to their respective spacings, and in one and the other direction, alternately.

4. The combination of two rollers mounted parallel with each other; a'fiexible strip connected at one end with one of the rollers and at the other end with the other roller to be wound and unwound from roller to roller; Wheels for said'rollers, respectively; wheels for driving said roller-Wheels, respectively; a lever carrying said driving-wheels and pivoted to simultaneously hold one of the driving-wheels in operative engagement with its roller-wheel and the other driving-wheel out of engagement with its roller-wheel, and vice versa; a master-Wheel journaled to revolve and operatively engaging with said driving- Wheels and being frictionally connected with the lever to throw the lever in the direction of the rotation of the master Wheel; and means for rotating the master-wheel.

5. The combination of two rollers mounted parallel with each other; a master-wheel; a flexible strip connected at one end with one of the rollers and at the other end with the other roller, to be wound'and unwound from roller to roller; wheels for said rollers, respectively; a lever comprising two spring-bars journaled-on the shaft of the master-wheel on opposite sides of said master-wheel, and contacting with the hub of the master-wheel arbors between said bars at the ends thereof, respectively; said bars being sprung frictiontight against the hub of the master-wheel; wheels for driving said roller-wheels, respectively, journaled on said arbors and meshing with the master-wheel; and means for rotating'the master-wheel.

6. A directory comprisinga main directorystrip having alphabetically-arranged lists of individual names and addresses; a set of rollers for operating said directory-strip; an indeX-strip; a set of rollers for operating the index-strip; small sprocketwheels, respectively, on the rollers of the main strip; larger sprocket-wheels, respectively, on the rollers of the index-strip; a sprocket-chain operatively connecting one of thesmall sprocketwheels with one of the large sprocket-wheels 5 a sprocket-chain operatively connecting the other small sprocket-wheel with'the other large sprocket-Wheel; and automatic reversible means for driving the rollers of one of said sets of rollers continuously to the full extent of said lists in one and the other direction, alternately.

7. The combination of two main rollers mounted parallel with each other; a masterwheel; a flexible strip connected at one end with one of the rollers and at the other end With the other roller to be wound-and unwound from roller to roller; Wheels for said rollers, respectively, at one side of the machine; small sprocket-Wheels fastened to the main roller-shafts, respectively, at theother side of the machine; a plurality of sets of supplemental rollers; flexible supplemental strips, one for each set of supplemental rollers, each supplemental strip being connected at its ends respectively with the rollers of its set to be wound and unwound from roller-to roller; large sprocket-wheels on the ends of the supplemental rollers at the same side of the machine with said small sprocket-wheels sprocket chains connecting the sprocket- Wheels of one of the main rollers with one sprocket-wheel, respectively, of each of the sets of supplemental rollers; sprocket-chains connecting the sprocket-wheel of the other main roller with the other sprocket-wheel of the respective sets of supplemental rollers; wheels for driving said main roller-wheels respectively; a lever carrying said driving- Wheels and pivoted to simultaneously hold one of the driving-wheels in operative engagement with its roller-wheel and the other driving-wheel out of engagement with itsrollerwheel, and vice 'versa; a master-wheel journaled to revolve and operatively engaging with said driving-wheels and being frictionally connected with the lever to throw the lever in the directionof the rotation of the master-wheel; and means for rotating the master-wheel. I

8. A directory comprising a directory-strip having alphabetically-arranged lists of individual namesyan'index device'with letters spend with said lists andat distances apart less than and proportionate to the spaces occupied by the directory-lists under the cor responding letters of I the alphabet, respectively; and automatic, reversible means for simultaneously operating the directory-strip and index device at speeds proportionate with their respective spacings in one and the other direction, alternately.

9. Adirectorycomprisinga maindirectorystrip having alphabetically-arrangedlists of individual names; an index-strip with letters of the alphabet arranged thereon to correspond with said lists and at distances apart less than and proportionate to the spaces occupied by the directory-lists under the correspondingletters of the alphabet, respectively; and automaticreversible means for simul- IIO of-the alphabet arranged thereon to corretaneously operating the directory-strip and the index-strip at speeds proportionate with their respective spacings, and in one and the other direction, alternately.

10. Adirectorycomprisingadirectory-strip having alphabetically-arranged lists of indi vidnal names; a supplemental directory-strip having a less number of individual names than the main strip, the same being alphabetically arranged and relatively spaced to correspond with the main strip on a shorter scale; and automatic reversible means for simultaneously operating the said strips in either direction at speeds proportionate to their respective spacings, and in one and the other direction, alternately.

ll. A directory comprising two rollers mounted parallel with each other; a flexible strip connected at one end with one of the rollers and at the other end with the other roller, to be wound and unwound from roller to roller; wheels forsaid rollers respectively; wheels for driving said roller-wheels respectively; a lever carrying said driving-wheels and pivoted to simultaneouslyhold one of the driving-wheels in operative engagement with its roller-wheel, and the other driving-wheel out of engagement with its roller-wheel, and vice versa; a master-wheel journaled to revolve coaxially of the pivot of the lever; and means for rotating the master-wheel.

12. The combination of the frame with supplement extension; main ribbon-rollers and idlers in the frame; a directory-ribbon on said rollers and idlers; a supplement directoryrihbon in the supplement extension; ribbonrollers and idler for said supplement-ribbon; adriving-shaft; means for turning said shaft; a master-wheel driven by said shaft; a lever journaled coaxial with the master-wheel; two pinions, one at each end of the lever, and which pinions mesh with and are driven by the master-wheel; a cog-wheel fastened to one of the main rollers; a cog-wheel fastened to the other main roller; a frictional device fixed to the lever and engaging the masterwheel to cause the rotation of the masterwheel to shift the lever to mesh a transmitting-pinion with one or the other roller cogwheel; and means operatively connecting one of the main rollers with one of the supplementrollers.

13. A directory comprising a main directory-ribbon and a supplement directory-ribbon; main directory-rollers; supplement directory-ribbon rollers; cog-wheels fastened to the main directory-ribbon rollers; a driving-shaft; means for turning the shaft; :1 master-wheel on the shaft and driven by the driving-shaft; alever journaled coaxial with the master-wheel and provided at each end with a transmitting-pinion,said pinions meshing with and driven by said master-wheel to independently mesh with the cog-wheels of the respective rollers when the lever is vibrated in one or the other direction; frictional means being provided to cause the rotation of the master-wheel to shift the lever to mesh a transmitting-pinion with one or the other of the roller cog-wheels; a sprocketwheel fixed to one of the main rollers; a sprocket-wheel fixed to one of the supplement-rollers; a sprocket-chain connecting said sprocket-wheels, a sprocket-wheel fixed to the other supplement-roller; a sprocket wheel fixed to the other main roller; and a sprocket-chainconnecting such two sprocketwheels.

14. The combination of a directory-strip; an index therefor; means for moving the directory-strip; means for moving the index; means operatively connecting the directorystrip-moving means and the index-moving means; a crank; and automatic reversing mechanism interposed between the crank and the directory-strip-moving means for transmitting motion from the crank to operate such means alternately in one and the other direction.

15. A mechanical directory provided with a main directory-strip; means for moving said strip; a supplementaldirectory-strip; means for moving said supplemental strip; operative mechanism for causing both of said stripmoving means to move simultaneously; a crank; and automatic-reversing mechanism interposed between the crank and the stripmoving means to operate the same alternately in one and the other direction.

16. In a strip-directory, strip operating mechanism comprising two rollers mounted parallel with each other; pinions mounted on the roller-shafts; a master-wheel mounted between such rollers; a pinion-carrying lever mounted to turn on an axis coaxially of the master-wheel; pinions mounted on the ends of such lever and meshing with the master- Wheel and arranged to alternately mesh, one with one of the roller-shaft pinions, and the other with the other roller-shaft pinion; and means for turning the master-wheel.

17. In a strip-directory, strip-operating mechanism comprising two rollers mounted parallel with each other; pinions mounted on the roller-shafts; a master-wheel mounted between such rollers; a pinion-carryin g lever mounted to turn on the master-wheel shaft; pinions mounted on the ends of such leverand meshing with the master-wheel and adapted to alternately mesh, one with one of the rollershaft pinions, and the other with the other roller-shaft piniomfrictional means being provided whereby the lever is thrown in the direction of the rotation of the master-wheel; and means for turning the master-wheel.

18. The combination of a plurality of pairs of rollers; a plurality of strips fastened at their opposite ends to the rollers of said pairs respectively to be wound and unwound from roller to roller of their respective pairs; means operatively connected with one roller of each of said pairs to cause said rollers to simultaneously rotate; means operatively connected with the other roller of each of said pairs to cause said other rollers to simultaneously rotate; a reversible prime mover;

and automatic-shifting power-transmitting mechanism interposed between said prime mover and said roller-rotating means to drive the one and release the other of said rollerrotating means when the prime'rnover is operated in the onedirection; and vice versa when the prime mover is operated in the other direction.

19. The combination of two rollers; a strip; fastened at its ends to said rollers respectively, to be Wound and unwound from roller to roller; means for driving one of said rollers; means for driving.the other of said rollers; a prime mover adapted to be moved in one and the other direction; and automatic-reversing power-transmitting mechanism operated by the prime mover and interposed between-said prime mover and the means for driving said rollers to operate the one of said means to drive one of said rollers and to release the other of said rollers when the prime mover 

